Sedentary to Lightly Active?

jaga13

My profile is set to sedentary since I am sitting at a desk most of the day. I have formal workouts (running, lifting), but also work hard to get in extra steps/movement all day to earn more calories. Usually it adds up to about an hour of extra movement and calculates to an extra 150-200 calories, give or take. I desperately need this boost because otherwise my height requirement gives me a measly 1210 a day for a .5 lb loss, and that is just too sad.

I kind of enjoy the challenge of earning more calories to eat. It's easy to keep track of during the work week: I know exactly how many steps/minutes it takes me to lap the building, and I do that several times a day plus at lunch. But on the weekends/vacations/etc it's harder to keep track of my non-formal exercise. But I know I'm way busier because I'm on the go with my young kids all day. For instance, we are going to the beach soon for a week. I don't plan on actively counting my steps/movement, but I won't be lounging by any means. I play in the water and in the sand and go for lots of walks with my kids....in these situations, would it be a good idea to simply change my profile to Lightly Active, and then only log in formal exercise (if I go for a run)? I'm also considering leaving my job in a few months to be home with my kids, so the question will apply then, too.

Has anyone had success upgrading their activity level without counting every little step? I believe I would get 1390 (without exercise) and that sure would be nice on these occasions! Of course for special occasions like vacation, I am fine with staying around maintenance, but it would be nice to continue to inch closer to my goal.

SezxyStef

I have an activity tracker so it's all good for me I don't have to count..it does it for me.

dubird

I keep mine at sedentary. I have a desk job, but I move around the office a bit so my tracker counts it as extra. That means on days I don't work and end up staying at home, I don't overeat since I'll be on my computer most of the day. ^^;

jaga13

SezxyStef wrote: »

I have an activity tracker so it's all good for me I don't have to count..it does it for me.

What kind of activity does it track? I thought it was primarily just for steps. What if I'm marching in place or doing some squats....I try to be creative

Timorous_Beastie

When I first started - years ago - I was set to sedentary, but quickly changed it to lightly active and didn't log every dog walk or warm-up as exercise.

Currently, I prefer going by a TDEE approach and don't even log my exercise.

lemurcat12

If you are pretty confident your walking around/non formal exercise gets you to lightly active I'd say change it. For me it's an incentive to walk when I can (and I do anyway, since I live in a city so do most errands and part of my commute on foot). I used to use a Fitbit but now that I've established for myself roughly how much I walk I don't feel that compelled to replace my broken one.

(I actually use a custom goal now and don't count back exercise, but if I did count back exercise I'd stay at lightly active and not log daily walking-related activity.)

SezxyStef

jaga13 wrote: »

SezxyStef wrote: »

I have an activity tracker so it's all good for me I don't have to count..it does it for me.

What kind of activity does it track? I thought it was primarily just for steps. What if I'm marching in place or doing some squats....I try to be creative

all my activity. It has an activity timer that I start for example for weight lifting, I edit the activity with the type, perceived intensity it gives me appx calories based on my stats.

It's pretty accurate too....

cwolfman13

I have a desk job and despite that, I always had my activity level set to light active WITHOUT any deliberate exercise...and no, I have never counted steps at all.

I don't think most people are truly sedentary even if they have a desk job...especially people with kids. I get home from work and there's always chores that need to be done (cooking, cleaning, yard work, bathing kids, fixing broken *kitten*, etc)...I don't know who these people are who just get to go home and sit around all evening. I'm on my feet a good 3 hours at least in the evening when I get home and another couple hours in the morning while we're getting everyone ready for day care/school, etc.

cwolfman13

I have a desk job and despite that, I always had my activity level set to light active WITHOUT any deliberate exercise...and no, I have never counted steps at all.

I don't think most people are truly sedentary even if they have a desk job...especially people with kids. I get home from work and there's always chores that need to be done (cooking, cleaning, yard work, bathing kids, fixing broken *kitten*, etc)...I don't know who these people are who just get to go home and sit around all evening. I'm on my feet a good 3 hours at least in the evening when I get home and another couple hours in the morning while we're getting everyone ready for day care/school, etc.

editorgrrl

jaga13 wrote: »

ould it be a good idea to simply change my profile to Lightly Active, and then only log in formal exercise (if I go for a run)?

That's the way MFP is supposed to work. The only things you're supposed to log are actual exercise. Everything else is part of your activity level: work, housework, yard work, childcare, etc.

Food is fuel, and we should all be looking for the maximum number of calories at which we lose weight—never the minimum. Raise your activity level, give it a few weeks, then reevaluate your progress.

jaga13

Good points all, thank you. I'm not sure I trust myself to keep up the pace of my non exercise activity without tracking it, but I realize the only way to find out is to try it for a few weeks.

Machka9

For me ... desk job = sedentary.

Then I count my exercise, but underestimate it ... and eat back half of my underestimated calories.